The present invention relates generally to traffic signs, and more particularly to traffic signs that can be automatically deployed, e.g. from a moving vehicle, and can be deployed without assembly of the traffic sign at the desired display location.
Of major importance today, due to our society's dependence upon motorized transportation, is the continuing construction, repair, and maintenance of freeways, highways, and roads. Involved in all such construction, repair, and maintenance are traffic signs for placement on the roadside ahead of the job site, where motorists can be warned of the presence of road construction equipment, personnel, or hazardous conditions as they approach the work site. To provide motorists with such notification or warning, it is necessary that one or more traffic signs be displayed along the roadside, such signs being located well in advance of the road construction or repair project. One type of traffic sign that is commonly placed along the roadside is the so-called and art-recognized roll-up sign. Examples of prior art roll-up signs are described, for instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,271 (Laminer), U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,379 (Marketing Displays, Inc.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,601 (Dicke Tool Co.), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,732,911 (TrafFix Devices, Inc.). These prior art roll-up signs typically comprise a support stand, such as a one-piece base or a plurality of supporting legs coupled to a frame, and a reflective and flexible sign, which is attached to the frame.
A typical process for placing prior art roll-up traffic safety signs is to deliver a disassembled roll-up sign and support stand to a desired location along a roadside. A worker will then assemble the roll-up sign system and correctly place the sign so that it is properly displayed to passing motorists. Although attempts have been made to simplify this assembly process, most notably in U.S. Pat. No. 5,732,911, manual labor is still required to assemble and place these signs, and the process necessarily places workers at risk, since they must perform this process in close proximity to passing traffic. Accordingly, it would be desirable to develop a roll-up sign which can be automatically deployed without the need of roadside assembly, and preferably from a moving vehicle.